


I've Been On My Own For Long Enough

by leongodretzka



Category: Storm Hawks (Cartoon)
Genre: Aerrow is 22, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Cyclonia isn't actually evil, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past War, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:28:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29002236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leongodretzka/pseuds/leongodretzka
Summary: AU. The Storm Hawks are a group of graduating students from Atmosia Academy, the most prestigious Sky Knight academy in all of Atmos. When students are beginning to get assigned to a Terra to gain valuable experience as Sky Knights, Aerrow is thrilled. That is, until his headmaster decides to send him to Terra Cyclonia, a land closed off from the rest of Atmos due to an unspeakable war that occurred decades ago. What will become of the next three months of Aerrow's life in Cyclonia?
Relationships: Aerrow/Dark Ace (Storm Hawks)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi everyone! like most of you i grew up watching storm hawks and now that i'm a lot older i have a chance to fully appreciate the show and how well-done it was. ever since i started rewatching the series i've had this idea in the back of my head and a few days ago i started writing it! life has been kind of stressful and writing this fic has brought me a lot of comfort.
> 
> i'm not sure how many people are still in the fandom but if you are, i hope you enjoy :)

_“T_ _erra Rex?_ Out of all of the Terras on Atmos that old bastard decides to send me to Terra Rex?!” Finn’s groan echoed loudly against the pristine walls of the administration wing as he stalked out of the headmaster’s office, a scowl on his face. “He completely shot down my idea of Terra Neon!”

“Ennith probably thought you could do with the extra manners,” Piper teased. A chorus of laughter erupted from their group as Aerrow looked between the two, smiling. Finn scoffed and rolled his eyes.

Dalton Ennith, headmaster of the prestigious Atmosia Academy, had the honour of sending off his best-performing graduating students each year to Terras all over Atmos as a chance to gain what he called ‘invaluable experience as a Sky Knight once you are all forced to part ways with this school.’ Atmosia Academy was the top Sky Knight academy in all of Atmos, and Aerrow was lucky to be offered a place among its students years ago as an orphan, along with his childhood friends Piper and Finn. Not to mention Radarr, who would probably attack anyone who referred to him as Aerrow’s pet. 

It was at the academy where the trio met Junko and Stork, gentle giant and paranoid gadget specialist, respectively. Throughout the years the six of them had grown close and became inseparable. They each had their own specialty - Aerrow’s leadership, Finn’s marksmanship, Piper’s crystal knowledge, Junko’s strength, Stork’s piloting abilities, and Radarr’s cooperation. Life at the academy wasn’t easy; training was grueling, professors were strict, competition was high and nobody enjoyed the monthly assessments, but everyone knew it was for the students’ own good. Being a Sky Knight required skill and dedication, and the academy was determined to best prepare its students for the role.

“Look on the bright side, Finn,” Aerrow chimed in. “Didn’t you and that blonde Rex Guardian hit it off the last time they visited?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Finn immediately brightened at the memory, and a grin spread across his face. “Hell yeah, she’ll be fawning over me in no time.” He winked with his signature finger guns, making everyone groan.

“You’ll get yourself sent back to Atmosia on the first day,” Stork muttered under his breath, ignoring Finn’s indignant _hey! ._

“What about you, Aerrow? Which Terra do you think you’ll get assigned to?” Junko asked, munching on a sandwich filled with something that was oddly slimy and seemed to be squirming.

Taking his eyes off of the sandwich, Aerrow shrugged and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “I don’t really have a preference, I’m sure I’ll be fine wherever Ennith decides on. Besides, the rest of you seem pretty satisfied with your placements.”

Piper nodded excitedly, clasping her hands together. “I can’t believe I’m actually going to Terra Tundras! There’s mines everywhere, who knows how many undiscovered crystals are out there?” She sighed, starry-eyed. 

“Of course you got the perfect match, teacher’s pet,” Finn grumbled. Piper elbowed him in the ribs, still smiling.

“Uh, sorry to ruin your moment, Piper, but isn’t Terra Tundras controlled by Cyclonia?” Stork asked in a low voice, eyes darting around the hall. 

Silence fell upon them, and Piper’s eyes lowered. Cyclonia was more closed off from the rest of Atmos after a war that had occured when they were all too young to understand. The empire had a negative reputation from their past, but had stayed relatively civil with the other Terras in recent years. Aerrow didn’t know much about Cyclonia, apart from Master Cyclonis, the young ruler of the empire, and the Dark Ace, commander of the Talons and one of Atmos’ most feared and admired fighters. He wanted to keep it that way.

“Don’t worry, Piper,” Aerrow reassured with a hand on her shoulder. “We’re protected by the academy when we’re on our placements, and I doubt Cyclonia would want to stain their reputation even more.” 

That seemed to lighten the mood, and even Stork relaxed. “Thanks, Aerrow!” Piper beamed. “You always know what to say.”

Aerrow was about to respond when a woman with her hair in a bob stepped out of the office, clipboard in hand.

“Aerrow? Headmaster Ennith would like to speak with you.” She announced, holding open the door.

He nodded and gave a little wave to his friends, stepping into the room.

The headmaster’s office was well-furnished, with mahogany furniture, shining tapestries and bookshelves that reached the ceiling. There was a fireplace on the left side of the office, its embers crackling quietly as the fire cooled. Aerrow had only been in Ennith's office once before, when he, Piper and Finn were offered admission to the academy all those years ago. Now they were only half a year away from graduating and the doors would open into a world outside of the academy. It felt surreal.

“Aerrow, please sit,” Ennith smiled from his desk, his spectacles glinting in the warm light. Dalton Ennith was a former Sky Knight who founded the academy with a few of his colleagues after he’d retired. Despite his weathered face and greying hair, he had kind eyes and a calming voice which made him practically incapable of being disliked. “I am sure you are anxious about where I have chosen for your placement.”

Aerrow shifted in his seat and looked at the headmaster. “Well, maybe a little,” he admitted. “But I have faith in your decision, headmaster.”

Ennith seemed pleased with that response, and cleared his throat before continuing. “Aerrow, I have known you for a long time now. When you first started out here at fifteen, I had no doubt that you would grow into the brave leader you are today. Your abilities, quick wit, and good heart have led you on this path to greatness.” 

Aerrow was taken aback by the praise. “I-Thank you, headmaster.” He replied, blinking.

“Therefore, it is with this in mind that I am sure you will understand my choice.” Ennith’s assistant - the woman with the bobbed hair - handed him a dark folder with Atmosia Academy’s insignia imprinted on the cover, a silver bird in flight.

“You are assigned to Terra Cyclonia, beginning a week from now.” The headmaster announced, glancing down at the contents of the folder.

Whatever words Aerrow was about to say got stuck in his throat. A stone of dread settled in his stomach. Suddenly the office seemed cold, despite the fireplace still crackling in the background.

“Cy-Cyclonia? But you’ve never sent students to Cyclonia!” Aerrow tried to keep his voice level, but the surprise escaped him. He grit his teeth, imagining the next three months there. _Did Ennith just read my file wrong?_

Aerrow faintly remembered reassuring Piper about Terra Tundras, but he wasn’t sure if he believed his own advice anymore.

“Times are changing, Aerrow. Cyclonia’s past is behind it now, and we can only look forward. I have spoken to its diplomats, as well as Master Cyclonis. We agree that this would be beneficial for both of our Terras,” Ennith explained, his voice firm. 

“Besides, I would not send my students on placements if I did not feel that they were prepared for the task.” The headmaster’s tone was final, and Aerrow knew he couldn’t argue his way out if he tried. 

“I understand,” Aerrow sighed, and tried to keep his expression neutral.

“This file contains all of the necessary documents you will need for your placement,” Ennith said, handing over the folder. “It includes your ticket, work documentation, instructions for the placement report you are to write, as well as contact information for your advisor once you are in Cyclonia. Please review them carefully.” 

Aerrow flipped to the first page of his file, and a small black and white photo of himself stared back. He looked annoyed. Snapping the folder shut, Aerrow stood and gave a slight bow. 

“Thank you for this opportunity, headmaster. I won’t let you down.” Aerrow tried to smile but it probably looked like he was in pain.

“I know you will not. This will be a good experience for you, Aerrow,” Ennith replied, reaching over to shake Aerrow’s hand. 

_What have I gotten myself into now,_ Aerrow thought desperately as the woman with the bobbed hair led him out of the office and back into the administration wing. The folder felt heavy in his hand as Aerrow tried to prepare himself for the onslaught of questions from his friends.

♠♠♠

The steak in front of him did not look appetizing anymore.

Piper, Finn, Junko, Stork and Radarr seemed to be thinking the same, their food ignored in front of them in favour of gawking at Aerrow.

“Come on, guys, don’t you have anything to say?” Aerrow crossed his arms and frowned slightly.

“Alright, this time I’m really going to give Ennith a piece of my mi-”

“Cyclonia?! What was he thinking?”

“You did say the academy would protect us-”

“I heard Master Cyclonis drinks the blood of her enemies…”

“ _Stork!”_

Radarr growled and banged his paws on the table, sending specks of mashed potato flying in all directions. Nobody seemed happy about this.

“Gee, thanks,” Aerrow said with a wry smile. “Makes me feel a whole lot better.” He sighed and pushed his food around his plate with his fork. Aerrow couldn’t blame his friends, getting assigned Cyclonia as a placement for three months seemed like the stuff of nightmares. The entire Terra looked dark and gloomy all the time and there was just a sense of something similar to _evil_ that lingered when you looked at pictures and maps of Cyclonia.

Piper looked around the table before turning to Aerrow. “I’m sorry, Aerrow. This is surprising for us all… I never thought Cyclonia would use an Atmosia student to try to fix their diplomatic issues. But if any student here was fit for the role, it’s you.” 

“Yeah, Aerrow!” Finn said around a mouthful of pasta. “Ennith must’ve chosen you for a reason. You’re special, dude.” His blue eyes were wide. 

Fondness glowed in his chest. Aerrow nodded and took a deep breath. “I guess so, that’s what he said to me too. I’m just overthinking it. Thanks, guys.” He smiled warmly at them and let his shoulders relax. _Maybe it won’t be so bad._

“If any Cyclonian tries to mess with you, they’ll be answering to us!” Junko grinned and clenched his fists before clapping Aerrow a little too harshly on the back. Piper, Finn, Stork and Radarr nodded in agreement. “Besides, what’re you even going to do in Cyclonia anyways?”

Aerrow coughed slightly and laughed, his shoulders shaking. “Thanks, Junko. I know I can count on you guys.” He reached for the folder Ennith had handed him and flipped through the documents.

“I’m not sure, actually. The placement description is blank.” Aerrow frowned and closed the folder. Typically students would get a rundown of the tasks they’d be expected to compete at their assigned Terras, and who’d they be working with. In Aerrow’s case, those sections of his file had been suspiciously left empty. It unsettled Aerrow just a bit that he had no clue what he was meant to be doing until he arrived in Cyclonia a week from now. 

He sighed and looked around the open-air pavilion they were seated at, near the center of campus. The sky was clear and students were milling around, having finished the first semester a few days ago. This time was meant to be a break before the graduating students were sent off to their placements, and everyone seemed a lot more relaxed than they usually were during the normal semesters. The academy was beautifully constructed, with separate buildings located on their own mini Terra for each department in combat, crystal studies, engineering, communications and more. Beside the pavilion stood a tall clock tower which would chime lowly every hour. From his seat, Aerrow could see that it was almost 16 00. The day seemed to fly by.

“That’s probably ‘cause Cyclonia wants to keep up the mysterious act.” Finn scoffed, pulling Aerrow out of his thoughts. “Typical. Anyways, I gotta dash, I need to practice shooting targets if I’m gonna impress Harrier.” He jumped and scooped up his bag, a flurry of crumpled papers falling out.

“See you guys later!” He gave a quick two-fingered salute, which Aerrow returned with a wave. In a flash, Finn mounted his Skimmer, revved the engine, and rode to the edge of the cliff before activating the wings and flying off to the combat building. 

Piper coughed, using her hand to wave away the cloud of dirt that had gathered. “Ugh, why’s he always in such a rush? Anyways, I think it’s time for me to leave too, I have to figure out my packing situation.”

Junko slurped the last of his smoothie before scratching his head. “Good point, what are you even supposed to pack for three months? Your entire dorm?”

Aerrow shrugged and stood from his seat, picking up his dishes. He hadn’t really thought about all of the additional responsibilities that came with getting a placement; the uncertainty of living in Cyclonia was occupying his mind for the past couple of hours.

“Hey, we’ll figure it out together. We always have, right?” He gave the rest of his friends a crooked smile and slung his bag over one shoulder.

“You got that right,” Stork said with a nod. Radarr chirped happily and leapt onto Aerrow’s shoulder.

Everything would be just fine.

♠♠♠

Aerrow was about to panic. The previous week had passed him by faster than his Skimmer in a windstorm. Word had gotten around campus that Ennith was sending Aerrow to Cyclonia, and he’d been approached by several junior students and even some of his old professors to see if it was true. Aerrow felt slightly on-edge the days leading up to his departure, meticulously checking his luggage to see if he’d missed anything when packing. His energy blades and extra crystals had been stowed away safely, along with at least a month's worth of clothes and other essentials. He’d triple checked his placement file, and made sure that he hadn’t misplaced any of the important documents. Ennith had announced that students were not permitted to bring their own Skimmers to the placements, which hurt a little bit. Over the years Aerrow had continuously fixed and upgraded components of his ride himself, and the thought of going to Cyclonia without it felt like a part of him would be missing.

On the day of the departure, Aerrow woke up well before sunrise and couldn’t fall back asleep. He spent the morning alternating between pacing around in his dorm, flying his Skimmer around campus to get some fresh air, and worrying. In the mirror, his hair looked like the bristles of a paintbrush after it was dipped into red paint and left out to dry. He wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to arrive in Cyclonia in his regular clothes, so he opted to keep on the standard light gray and blue Atmosia uniform. It was fitted throughout his body and comfortable to move around in, but its high collar definitely didn’t make it fashion staple according to multiple students. After a quick shower, he felt somewhat more calm but Aerrow’s nerves were still all over the place. What if he suddenly got motion sickness during the flight despite having flown recklessly for years and threw up on a random Talon? What if Master Cyclonis had a troop of Talons waiting to kidnap him for information about Atmosia? _What if what Stork said about her drinking her enemies’ blood really was true?!_

A knock on his door sent Aerrow about a foot into the air. 

“Aerrow? You in there, buddy? Me and the others were about to get some lunch before our flights, wanna join?”

It was just Finn. Aerrow relaxed and ran a hand through his hair. The clock on his desk read a little after 13:00, and flights for each student’s placement were scheduled for 15:00. The time really was slipping from Aerrow’s grasp with each passing tick.

He opened the door and Finn was leaning against the doorframe, looking slightly concerned. “Are you feeling okay, Aer? I swear I heard you pacing outside your door.”

Aerrow smiled sheepishly and nodded. “I’m fine, really. Just some last minute nerves is all.”

Finn sighed and placed his hands on Aerrow’s shoulders, still wearing those fingerless gloves that Piper and Stork had teased him about years ago. “Dude, you really have nothing to worry about. We’ll keep in touch throughout the whole thing, and I know you’re ready for whatever those Cyclonians throw at you.” Finn said seriously, holding Aerrow’s gaze.

It was unlike Finn to be so serious about anything, so Aerrow knew he had a point. He smiled and pulled the blond man into a hug, sighing. 

“Come on, I know what’ll ease your nerves!” Finn exclaimed when they pulled back. “I heard the canteen is serving double fudge chocolate cake! We _have_ to try it before it runs out-”

Before Aerrow could protest, Finn was steering him towards the dining hall and rambling on and on about how much he’d miss the food at Atmosia and how meals at Terra Rex were probably just bland chicken and oatmeal. With green beans. Aerrow laughed the whole way there. 

♠♠♠

“I know you’ll probably be super busy at Cyclonia but don’t forget about us!” Piper squeezed Aerrow tightly in a hug, and Aerrow wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Finn, Junko, Stork and Radarr all followed suit in a group hug, and Aerrow staggered back, almost falling over.

“You know I couldn’t forget about you guys if I tried,” he said, laughing.

Lunch had passed and Aerrow did have to admit, the chocolate cake was a nice parting gift from the academy. He still felt nervous, of course, but a new sense of excitement overtook him. This was the biggest challenge he’d faced in all twenty-two years of his life, and Aerrow knew he was ready.

They were gathered at the academy’s main landing strip and ships were docked and ready to board its students for departure. Each Terra was assigned its own ship, so Aerrow had the next five hours to himself, plenty of time to daydream what life in Cyclonia would be like. He really couldn’t wait.

Everyone’s luggage was already loaded, so all that was left to keep track of were the folders with their documentation and tickets. A robotic voice played over the loudspeakers - _Attention all graduating students. Your flights to your placement Terras will be boarding shortly. Please make your way to the correct ship, and ensure all of your documents are in order._

Aerrow took a deep breath and steeled himself. This was it.

“We don’t have time for a full pep-talk so I’ll keep it short. I know it’s weird to be split up after all of these years together, but I know we’re all more than ready to ace this placement.” Aerrow smiled widely and looked at each of Piper, Finn, Junko, Stork and Radarr.

They nodded back at him, eyes bright with determination. After exchanging a few more words, they each parted ways to their ships. Aerrow turned back to look for his ship, number CAR-90. It was located at the far left of the landing strip, and Aerrow wasn’t surprised to see that it was actually a cargo ship, and not one meant for passengers. The academy probably wasn’t anticipating sending a student to Cyclonia beforehand, so they were missing an extra passenger ship.

 _No big deal, there has to be at least one seat,_ Aerrow thought as he boarded. He handed his ticket to the pilot, who took it and looked at him expectantly. She was a lithe woman with dark green hair and gray eyes. There was a faded scar cutting through her right eyebrow.

“So I’m guessing I have to drop you off to the Talons before making this weapons shipment?” Her eyes narrowed and her mouth was a thin line. 

Aerrow looked to the back of the ship, where boxes filled with various blades and bows were stacked. There was one seat near the front, which looked like someone tore it out of an old bike and stuck to the floor of the ship. _Thanks for the great accommodations, Ennith._

“Yes, that’d be me.” He replied, taking his seat and holding his file to his chest. Aerrow heard the sound of a turbo engine coming to life, and he watched the ship set for Terra Saharr take off into the sky.

The pilot glanced at him through the rear-view mirror and switched on the ship’s ignition. 

“Well, let’s make it quick. Ennith is making me fly to the other end of the Atmos for this delivery.” 

Within moments they were in the air and wisps of clouds floated past the ship as Aerrow stared out of the small window. In a few hours he’d be in Cyclonia, a powerful and foreign land, with the only knowledge of it and its people from rumours or old stories. Aerrow would finally get a chance to see if Cyclonia really was as evil as people made it seem, or if they were just stereotypes blown out of proportion. 

Without noticing, his eyelids closed and Aerrow rested his head against one of the wooden boxes. The slight hum of the ship’s engine slowly lulled him to sleep.

_Soon…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerrow arrives in Cyclonia. It goes about as well as he was expecting.

A hand on Aerrow’s shoulder caused him to jolt awake, eyes flying open. Out of reflex, he reached back for his energy blades only to realize that they were packed away with the rest of his luggage. Only then did his eyes focus on the figure standing in front of him, looking wholly unimpressed.

It was the cargo pilot from earlier. Her arms were crossed and her mouth was drawn in what seemed to be a permanent frown. “Greet everyone like that, huh?” From this position Aerrow could see the name  _ C. Sorren  _ stitched in black thread on the lapel of her coat. 

“I-uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” Aerrow stammered, flushing in embarassment. It was thanks to the academy’s training that caused him to be alert at all times, even right after waking. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned, looking outside the window. The sky had an indigo hue and a billow of smoke slowly rose at the corner of his eye. 

Sorren scoffed. “We’re here, kid. Cyclonia. I assume you don’t need me to walk you to the front doors?” She turned her back to him, inspecting the crates of weapons with a clipboard in hand.

All at once the realization of where Aerrow was and what he was meant to be doing hit him and sent peaceful, post-nap Aerrow crashing into the ground. He scrambled out of his seat, head spinning, and swiped up his file before turning back to face Sorren near the ship’s exit.

“Thank you, Sorren,” he said. “I hope you make that delivery in time.”

“It’s Cath,” she replied. “Good luck, Aerrow.” She turned to face him with a faint smile.

He nodded and stepped off of the ship. He gathered his luggage before the engines roared and brought the ship’s propeller to life, lifting it off of the ground as it headed south. After sheathing his energy blades on his back, Aerrow looked around at where Cath had dropped him off and was struck at how dark it was. Apparently Cyclonia received less hours of sunlight than most Terras, and the remaining pollution from old crystal mines didn’t help either. Aerrow took a deep breath and almost immediately noticed that the air prickled his lungs slightly.  _ Nice to know about their air quality,  _ he thought grimly.

Aerrow was standing in the middle of what looked like a giant landing pad. He could see the Talon's insignia dimly illuminated by the light of a nearby crystal lamp. Aerrow tucked his folder away safely in one of the pockets of his bag. It was unsettling that nobody else was here, and he was about to walk over to the nearest tower when he heard distant voices coming from behind him.

“That’s him! The Atmosia boy!”

“I thought I told you to  _ check the arrival time! _ We were supposed to be ready ten minutes—”

“Oh  _ shut up _ , it’s not like we lost him—”

When Aerrow turned back around he was greeted with the sight of a short man wearing a dark red suit, flanked by two Cyclonian Talons. Aerrow tensed when he saw that they were each holding a crystal staff and looked warily at the man in the suit.

“Welcome to Terra Cyclonia, Aerrow,” he greeted. The corners of his mouth curled into a sharp smile. “I am Rene, your placement advisor. I do wish we had more time for introductions, but we mustn't keep the Master waiting. Come along.” Rene spun on his heel and walked in the opposite direction, while the two Talons grumbled before carrying Aerrow’s luggage and following him.

Aerrow stood and stared for a few moments before his brain finally caught up.  _ Did he say Master?! _

“Hey - wait! Where are we going? And I can carry my own luggage!” 

Rene sighed but kept walking. “To see Master Cyclonis, of course! She requested to speak with you upon your arrival. Also, that’s nonsense. You’re our guest.” He looked back boredly.

His throat ran dry and his palms felt clammy through his gloves. Okay, so the initial thought of going to Cyclonia was bad enough. Aerrow had gotten over that. But speaking with its menacing leader, alone? Aerrow gulped.

He panted as he caught up with Rene and the Talons while trying to quell the uneasiness in his stomach. Aerrow followed them into a corridor with dimmed red lights, the stone underneath his feet shifting to cold metal. “Why would she want to speak with me? I’m just a student.”

Rene’s eyes glinted. “Oh, but you’re special, Aerrow. You see, we haven’t had many high-profile visitors in a long time, such as yourself. It’s only fair for the Master to get to know you.”

Aerrow hadn’t thought about it that way. Atmosia Academy was well-known across the Atmos, but he hadn’t considered himself  _ that _ important by any means. They rounded another corner and one of the Talons to his left snickered.

“Just hope she doesn’t hex you.”

Aerrow glared at him, narrowing his eyes.  _ Ennith, I hope you have eyes in this place. I want to live to see Atmosia again.  _

“Don’t listen to him,” Rene scowled. “None of us have spoken to Master Cyclonis before. She’s a very secretive person. It’s all speculation of whether or not she’s actually that scary.” He looked at Aerrow. “Besides, didn’t she just turn twenty in December? She’s a kid.”

Rene suddenly stopped outside of a pair of elaborate iron doors. The other Talon laughed, but he sounded nervous. “I guess you’ll be the first to find out, schoolboy.”

Aerrow swallowed and tried to ease his heart rate. This conversation could make or break the future of Cyclonia and Atmosia’s relations. No big deal. Rene smiled tightly and patted Aerrow on the arm.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, you seem like a respectable guy. We’ll have your belongings delivered to your room. Dinner will be served at seven.” They started to walk away, leaving Aerrow in the corridor. 

Steeling himself, Aerrow rapped his knuckles against the door and held his breath. 

“Come in.” It was barely audible.

The door was heavy, and Aerrow strained to crack it open. Most of Cyclonis’ office was bathed in a white glow, emanating from a crystal levitating in the corner. Aerrow was reminded of Ennith’s office, but this one was much more spacious. Cyclonis owned what looked like a whole library, with rows of books surrounding each of the four walls. A single desk littered with scrolls and maps was laid out in the center of the room, accompanied by an uncomfortable looking chair with a tall back. The entire office was the shade of cold metal.

“I see you’ve made it in one piece.” 

Aerrow couldn’t tell where the eerie voice was coming from until Master Cyclonis suddenly materialized in front of him. Her small frame was covered in dark robes which reached the floor, while her hood slowly unfurled like pointed feathers, revealing a sharp, pale face.

He straightened his back and bowed, before raising his gaze to meet her cold one.

“Master Cyclonis, it’s an honour to—” 

She waved him off, narrowing her dark eyes. “You don’t have to say what you don’t mean.” Her voice sent a chill down Aerrow’s spine. 

“I know you aren’t thrilled to be in Cyclonia. You’d probably prefer it if we weren’t speaking right now. But you’re here anyways, so let’s make the best out of it. Wouldn’t you agree, Aerrow?” 

Somehow Cyclonis had read his mind. Aerrow felt guilty, but he didn’t know why. His hands curled into fists at his sides.

“I’m grateful to be here. It’s an incredible learning experience.” He said honestly. Aerrow’s eyebrows lowered as he stared at the Cyclonian leader, waiting for her to object.

To Aerrow’s surprise, a smirk spread across her face. “Good.”

In an instant, Cyclonis’ long robes transformed into a fitted combat uniform. She stuck out her open palm and a large silver staff materialized. The lavender crystal on the end glowed faintly. Black nails closed around the hilt, and Cyclonis fixed Aerrow with a stare that seemed like she was looking right through him. His skin crawled.

“I’m curious to see what you’re capable of, Aerrow,” she said simply. “Your headmaster sounded as if he regarded you very highly.” The smirk was gone. “I want to see if that’s true.”

Aerrow felt sweat beading at the back of his neck. He hadn’t planned on this — on  _ any _ of this. He was meant to be making new friends, getting settled into his new home, connecting with his mentors. Not accepting a duel with one of the most powerful mages in Atmos, who also happened to be the leader of Cyclonia. Aerrow snorted inwardly at what Rene said about Cyclonis being a kid. He didn't know the start of it. 

Aerrow’s fingers twitched, itching for his energy blades.  _ Not yet. There has to be another way. _ He took a step back and looked at Cyclonis carefully.

“I… I’m not sure if this is the best idea,” Aerrow said while holding his hands out, eyes darting left and right. The doors were too heavy to open quickly, and the room had no windows. He was essentially trapped. 

_ Ennith, you bastard. _

“Scared I’ll be too rough? Don’t fret, I won’t actually harm you.” Somehow, Aerrow didn’t quite believe that.

He couldn’t stand the taunting of her voice. He grit his teeth and reluctantly drew his energy blades, and screwed his eyes shut before opening them again. If Aerrow survived this fight, there would be no way that his friends would believe him. It was a lose-lose situation.

There was still a comfortable distance between them, but Cyclonis was slowly inching closer. “You said your time at Cyclonia would be an  _ incredible learning experience _ ,” she growled. “So let’s not waste any of that precious time.” 

With that, Cyclonis leapt at Aerrow with a yell, swinging the crystalized end of her weapon at him. Aerrow ducked just in time and rolled to the right, eyes wide and heart racing. Her staff left a huge crater in the iron wall, and Cyclonis glowered as she yanked the staff out from where it was embedded, ripping the iron apart. If Aerrow had been a second too late, it would’ve already been over.

_ There’s no point in trying to run away. Cyclonis wants a fight, she’ll get one.  _ It didn't matter who she was anymore, if anybody challenged Aerrow he'd be sure to give them something to work with. 

Aerrow saw a hunger in Cyclonis’ eyes before he charged at her, slashing one of his blades through the air. As expected, his attack was countered as the raven-haired girl blocked it easily with her staff. They began taking swings at each other, sending sparks of energy flying from their weapons. It was clear that Cyclonis was trained well in combat. She dodged each of Aerrow’s attacks gracefully, sidestepping out of reach like she knew his next move before he made it. Frustration burned through Aerrow’s body and with newfound energy, he knocked Cyclonis’ staff away from where it was protecting her chest. Aerrow managed to land a swift kick to Cyclonis’ middle, sending her staggering backwards.

Like nothing happened, the Cyclonian leader regained her posture and gave Aerrow a deathly stare.

“Maybe you ought to do more reading on combat techniques,” she hissed before thrusting her staff sideways. The crystal at its end glowed brighter and Aerrow heard a loud rustling above him. A row of books was levitating beside the high shelf they were previously resting on, and Aerrow barely had time to think before they started pelting down towards him. 

Aerrow heard Cyclonis cackle as he used his blades to send a bolt of energy through the cascade of books, reducing them to piles of ashes. “Didn’t I say I wouldn’t actually hurt you?” Cyclonis looked amused. “Pity, those were some of my favourites.” She sighed, looking blankly at the ashes that littered her floor.

Out of breath, Aerrow sheathed his energy blades and grimaced. “Enough games, Cyclonis. This isn’t what I came here for.” 

“We’re not finished yet.” Her hands tightened against her staff. “You call yourself a Sky Knight, don’t you?” This time, Cyclonis looked genuinely interested rather than murderous.

“Well, where’s your  _ fancy move _ ?”

_ Couldn’t she have waited until tomorrow? _

Aerrow had enough, but he activated his weapon again. He was exhausted, hungry, and still wasn’t sure what Cyclonis wanted with him, but showing off a little wouldn’t hurt. Aerrow closed his eyes and allowed the tension to ease out of his body, while the energy from his striker crystals seeped in.

_ “It’s right here.” _

He inhaled deeply and felt the thrumming of energy in his veins. Once the energy was at its peak, Aerrow leapt into the air and twisted his body before bringing both blades downwards, sending the power from his Lightning Claw towards Cyclonis.

Cyclonis watched in fascination while the blast flew towards her, the ice blue energy reflecting in her eyes. At the last moment she blocked it awkwardly with her staff and the impact caused her to stumble backwards.

Aerrow took advantage of Cyclonis’ second of hesitation, and rushed forward with his energy blades out. By then, Cyclonis had regained her focus and her signature deadly stare was back, her lip curled. She forced her staff against Aerrow’s blades and they were at a standoff.

“I’ll have to admit, Aerrow, I am impressed,” Cyclonis said. The glow from Aerrow’s weapon made her hair look silver. Aerrow couldn’t tell if she was mocking or actually praising him. 

Aerrow scowled, trying to think of his next move. It was slightly surprising that he was still standing. A hook to the ankle would send Cyclonis falling, and that would give him enough time to pry open the iron doors and make a run for it. After that, he’d hijack whatever ride he could find and fly five hours back to Atmosia. He’d explain himself to Ennith somehow. It didn’t matter that Aerrow didn’t have a map, or that all of his belongings were stashed away in some room. He needed to leave. Now.

Suddenly, Cyclonis’ eyes darted to the side and then back. He watched as a crooked grin split across her face. Aerrow glared at her while a drop of sweat rolled down his temple. He wouldn't let himself be distracted, not now, not when he was so close— 

The crackling of an energy weapon sounded from the entrance of Cyclonis’ office and Aerrow felt heat and electricity strike him in the shoulder, sending him crashing into the nearby wall. At once, the electricity coursed through his whole body and pain seared in his limbs. Aerrow’s head was pounding and his breath was escaping him in shallow pants. He tried to look around to figure out what just happened, but colourful spots obscured his vision.

Heavy footsteps and the clinking of armour were the last things Aerrow heard before the world blurred out. 

♠♠♠

_ “... was excessive… ‘ven for you...” _

_ “...alm down… used a low voltage…” _

Aerrow was underwater. The voices he heard seemed far away; too far to fully grasp what they were saying. He tried to move, but his limbs felt like someone had injected lead into his veins. As the seconds passed, it made less and less sense that he was underwater. Aerrow felt cold, hard metal beneath him, and his breathing was shallow but steady.

His eyes flew open.

Cyclonis’ heavily lined eyes peered into his face. “Oh, good. You’re alive.” 

Aerrow stared at her blearily, still disoriented. Someone had propped him up in a sitting position against the wall. Cyclonis leaned away from him and Aerrow’s attention was drawn to the taller man standing beside her.

When their eyes met, Aerrow felt the world tilt by one degree on its axis. He blinked, and everything came into focus.

Dark Ace, commander of the Cyclonian Talons and Atmos’ most feared and elusive fighters, was staring down at Aerrow with his arms crossed, an unreadable expression on his face. Aerrow wanted to think that he was staring at him out of interest, but it was probably something similar to confusion seeing as Dark Ace had just knocked him, a complete stranger, unconscious. The intensity of his red gaze made Aerrow’s skin prickle. He lowered his eyes to the floor, unsure of what to say.

“Are you going to explain why you destroyed your office while battling this stranger?” The Dark Ace asked in a smooth voice, his strong eyebrows furrowed. 

“He’s barely a stranger. I think we’re quite well-acquainted by now.” Cyclonis replied cryptically. She turned to look at Aerrow, a sly smile on her lips.

In one swift motion, Dark Ace drew his energy sword from behind his back and the long blade radiated red heat as the firebolt crystal’s energy flowed through it. Aerrow flinched at the crackling sound before patting the ground frantically, looking for his energy blades. They were on the other side of the room, presumably lost from when he flew into the wall and passed out.

_ What the hell has my life turned into in the past six hours? _

“I should’ve known nothing would’ve come out of asking questions,” Dark Ace growled, not taking his eyes off of Aerrow. “It’s time for him to go back to where he came from.”

“Put that away, you barbarian. You’re scaring him,” Cyclonis snapped. “Besides, he’s meant to be here.” She reached out to grab hold of Aerrow’s wrist and dragged him into a standing position with a surprising amount of strength. Aerrow stood shakily and annoyance flared in his chest. He hated being treated like a child but after being struck once by Dark Ace’s weapon, he didn’t want to stick around for a second time. “Now he’s at risk for injury. That headmaster won’t be happy.”

Dark Ace just sneered and sheathed his sword.

“I’m fine,” Aerrow rasped. His entire body ached. Cyclonis ignored him.

“Aside from that, I feel that introductions are long overdue.” She let go of his wrist, and her tone was almost cheerful. Aerrow looked at the two Cyclonians warily before she continued.

“Dark Ace, this is Aerrow from Atmosia Academy. He was personally selected by his headmaster to complete his placement at Cyclonia.” He watched as Dark Ace’s eyes widened by a fraction, taking note of the academy’s insignia over his heart. 

Her gaze shifted to Aerrow, and her eyes were bright. “Aerrow, I’m sure you already know of Dark Ace.” He nodded, feeling exposed once again under the commander’s stare. Like many young Sky Knights, Aerrow had heard stories about a fearless Talon who never lost in battle before. He was a strong, calculating fighter who was also well-versed in flying mid-battle. Aerrow couldn’t believe that he was standing in front of the Dark Ace, wondering if he’d been hallucinating this entire time. He didn’t trust himself to speak, fearing any words would get stuck in his throat.

“He will be your mentor during your time in Cyclonia,” Cyclonis announced, smiling widely. He wondered if anyone had ever seen her look this happy, ever. It was like she’d planned this all along, all the way back when Aerrow noticed that his placement description was left blank on his file. 

_ “What?!”  _ The two men exclaimed in unison, turning to look at Cyclonis in disbelief. It would have been funny if Aerrow didn’t feel like he was about to throw up.

_ Yep, definitely hallucinating _ , he concluded, feeling oddly light. There was no way that Cyclonis was being serious. Aerrow’s head spun at the thought of the Dark Ace teaching him the necessary skills and values to have as a Sky Knight.

Dark Ace looked like Cyclonis had just slapped him. This was probably the first time Cyclonis told him about their arrangement as well. 

After her words finally sank in, the Talon commander clenched his teeth so roughly that Aerrow could see a muscle jump in his jaw. “I will not have my personal duties held back at the expense of an inexperienced kid,” he said sharply. Dark Ace’s words caused Aerrow to frown in annoyance. He was tired of being treated like he knew nothing.

Anyone would have cowered under his fiery gaze but Cyclonis simply gave him an unimpressed look.

“I’m twenty-two, you know,” Arrow managed to grit out. Dark Ace barely registered that he’d said anything and Aerrow wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

“And  _ I _ will not have my top commander disobeying my orders,” Cyclonis shot back. She walked away from Aerrow and Dark Ace, waving her staff towards the mangled crater in the wall. A swirl of energy escaped the end of her staff and into the wall. The iron mended itself in seconds, leaving no evidence that it had been smashed by that same staff earlier. 

“Think about it this way,” the Cyclonian leader suggested, turning back to face them. “You’ve been on your own for so long, Dark Ace. You will mentor Aerrow, and he will keep you company. It’s only for three months, if you really are opposed to the idea.” 

Dark Ace stood still with his eyebrows drawn downwards. The white crystal in the corner of the room cast shadows across his angular face, and Aerrow watched him silently before looking across the room at his abandoned energy blades. The younger man still was at a loss for words. Clearly, he had no authority to object to Cyclonis’ arrangement, but he wasn’t sure how to feel now that she’d made it final.

On one hand, Aerrow would be learning from the best of the best in terms of Atmos’ fighters. He knew from his combat training courses that Dark Ace was not only good at beating the enemy; he was cunning and clever as well. Aerrow respected that. But on the other hand, being mentored by someone with such a high degree of skill and experience intimidated him. Dark Ace’s bitter personality definitely wouldn’t help that case either, as far as Aerrow could see.

“No objections?” Mischief shone in Cyclonis’ eyes. “Wonderful. You are both dismissed. Dark Ace, show Aerrow to his room, please. North Maven hall.” 

Dark Ace grunted in reply and crossed the room in a few short strides to the doors. Aerrow scooped up his blades from the floor before hurrying after the other man.

Cyclonis’ voice made Dark Ace stop in his tracks. Aerrow almost walked right into his back, staring at the metal-crafted Talon insignia that rested between Dark Ace’s shoulder blades. 

“Make sure that Aerrow receives medical attention as well. It’s the least you could do after electrocuting him.” 

Aerrow watched as Dark Ace silently seethed before pushing open one of the iron doors and stepping into the hallway, not bothering to keep it from slamming shut in Aerrow’s face. Luckily he slipped through the opening quickly enough and squinted as he entered the hallway, eyes adjusting to the dimness.

Dark Ace’s footsteps were echoing further down the hall, and Aerrow huffed before catching up with his retreating form. His mentor obviously didn’t care for any conversation so Aerrow kept silent as he followed Dark Ace throughout the corridors to his quarters. Aerrow wasn’t entirely sure of how the facilities were laid out in Cyclonia, as they had been in Cyclonis' office moments before but were still continuing inside the same building. His best guess was that the Talons’ quarters were connected with its main training facilities through a system of tunnels and hallways. The sounds of their footsteps and Dark Ace’s clinking armour filled the air, with the occasional distant conversation between other people in the hallways. 

They walked past a pair of students wearing Talon Academy uniforms; a tall boy with green eyes like Aerrow and a girl with long violet hair tied into a ponytail at the base of her head. Unlike the Sky Knight academies throughout the rest of Atmos, Aerrow had never met anyone from the Talon Academy as the two schools hadn’t had any contact before. He heard that its students were trained rigorously and were especially skilled in one-on-one combat. 

_ It’d be nice to make some friends here,  _ Aerrow mused.  _ It would definitely make this experience more enjoyable.  _

The students lowered their heads in respect to Dark Ace, who returned their gesture with a nod before continuing down the hall. The girl’s eyes lingered on Aerrow and her eyebrow arched as if she recognized him. Before he could question it, she’d turned back around and started chatting to the other boy about customizing her weapon.

Aerrow followed Dark Ace through a pair of automatic doors with the words  _ NORTH MAVEN HALL  _ engraved. The commander stopped at the last door along the hallway and turned to Aerrow, looking irritated. 

“Here’s your room. Press your hand to that panel to initialize the room’s security system. I trust that you’re competent enough to seek medical attention if you need it.”

Aerrow nodded, looking at him. “Yes, sir.”

Dark Ace’s eye twitched. “Don’t call me that.”

By the time Aerrow finished inspecting the security panel, Dark Ace had already crossed through the metal doors, the hydraulics hissing as the doors pressed closed. Aerrow’s shoulders slumped, feeling exhaustion deep in his bones. He pressed his hand against the panel as advised and a bright light shone from the screen, scanning him from head to toe. A  _ beep _ sounded and the door to Aerrow’s room opened.

He stepped inside and the doors hissed closed. It was spacious, decorated mostly in deep red and green. A sigh of relief escaped Aerrow when he saw that his luggage was stacked neatly in the corner. The old-looking clock on his wall read quarter to seven, when dinner would be served. 

Aerrow collapsed onto the bed, throwing an arm over his eyes. He was still wearing his academy’s uniform, which would probably make him stand out in a sea of red and green Talons. The fabric clung to his skin uncomfortably, and Aerrow desperately wished for a warm bath before completely knocking out until tomorrow. Hunger still clawed at this stomach and he willed the minutes to tick by faster so he could eat something. Aerrow’s shoulder still ached slightly from where Dark Ace had struck him, but the pain had eased significantly already.

_ I can’t believe Ennith thought this was a good idea.  _ Sure, his placement might improve relations with Cyclonia and Atmosia, but considering how his first day had gone, it was at the expense of Aerrow’s physical well-being.

The day wasn’t even over yet, but all Aerrow could do was hope tomorrow was better. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aerrow: *almost dies twice in the span of an hour while arriving in Cyclonia*
> 
> a few things:  
> \- i think i alternate between referring to DA as 'the Dark Ace' or just 'Dark Ace' and that's because i honestly dont know which one is the correct one  
> \- the 'so you call yourself a sky knight wheres your fancy move' 'it's right here' line was actually something that dark ace said to aerrow! (i think it was ep 1?)  
> \- here's a gif of [aerrow winking](https://imgur.com/7Qtjq4H) bc it just needs to be seen
> 
> thank you so much for reading it really means a lot :) <3 as always lmk what you thought!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerrow accompanies Dark Ace on a mission to retrieve an important crystal.

The short melody of a doorbell followed by insistent knocking made Aerrow open his eyes and look to his door in curiosity.

He pressed his hand to the security panel near the entrance of his room and the doors opened. It was Rene, alone this time. He was holding a large garment bag with an excited expression on his face.

“Aerrow, I see you’ve started to settle in,” he said lightly. Aerrow stepped to the side and allowed the man to enter, looking at him in slight confusion.

“I just got here, actually. I was about to head to dinner soon,” Aerrow replied, not bothering to explain the entire ordeal he’d just gone through after meeting Master Cyclonis and Dark Ace. Rene set down the garment bag on his desk and gave him a shocked look.

“Not wearing _that_ you’re not!” Rene exclaimed with wide eyes. “It’s a miracle I caught you in time.”

Aerrow blinked, looking down at himself. “Um… I don’t really see the issue?” He was still in his grey and blue academy uniform which wasn’t exactly the most stylish thing, but he still looked more put-together than if he were dressed in rags.

Rene sighed and flicked his hair away from his eyes. His blonde hair was so light that it almost looked white.

“Maybe if you were still in Atmosia, sure,” he said. “That’s clearly not the case now. So, I’ve come to deliver a custom-made uniform, courtesy of one of Cyclonia’s top tailors!”

With that, Rene unzipped the bag and held out a pristine dark green uniform with crimson detailing and shards of varying sizes of shiny silver armour that shone in the light of the room. The Cyclonian insignia of a red falcon was painted onto one side of the shoulder armour, and the back of the uniform had a sheath for Aerrow’s energy blades along with a larger insignia, crafted out of metal. 

The uniform was different compared to that of an ordinary Talon’s. It seemed as though someone had put a lot of effort into designing it to be worn in battle as well as for regular wear. The material looked expensive; it wasn’t just regular fabric, it looked like it had been infused with the energy from a crystal to obtain its sleekness. Aerrow stared at it, outstretched in Rene’s hands, and didn’t know what to say. 

“This, I… Wow, this is a lot,” he stammered. Aerrow hadn’t expected such a grand gesture, or any for that matter. The uniform was worlds beyond anything he’d ever worn before. 

Rene’s smile faltered at Aerrow’s hesitation. “Would you like for it to be modified? I’m sure I can–”

“No Rene, that’s not what I meant!” Aerrow scratched the back of his neck and tried to smile. “It’s amazing, really, but I’m not actually a Cyclonian Talon. I just feel like it would be better suited for someone else.”

The blonde man sighed and gently pushed the uniform into Aerrow’s hands. “You’re too thoughtful, Aerrow. Think of it as a welcoming gift, not something permanent. Besides, this uniform was made for you. No one else.”

Aerrow clutched the sleek fabric and looked down at the rest of the garment bag. He could see a pair of boots, gloves and more armour accessories. He turned to Rene who was already at the door.

“Thank you, Rene, this means a lot,” Aerrow said warmly, admiring how the armour glinted as he tilted it from side to side.

“You’d better wear it, then,” Rene replied. “I can’t wait to see the look on everyone’s faces when they see you.” He winked and then paused. 

"I'm guessing you've heard about Dark Ace being your mentor. Lucky you." Rene raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly. 

"Yep, Cyclonis wanted it to be a surprise," Aerrow said wryly. 

"We all know that he's super stoic and intimidating and whatever, but it won't be the worst thing. I think you'll enjoy your time here." Rene shrugged and crossed his arms. 

It was like everyone kept speaking in code to him. What did they mean by he would enjoy it? 

"Anyways, I'm off. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns. The info's in your folder." 

His advisor slipped out of the room while the doors closed gently. 

Aerrow stared at where Rene had been standing for a few moments more and started to peel off his academy uniform and put on his new one. There were a lot of components and additional accessories that his old uniform didn’t have, which Aerrow guessed was for the uniform’s aesthetic purpose.

Once he finally finished snapping on the silver wrist cuffs and adjusting the layered gloves, Aerrow turned to look at himself in the mirror adjacent to his closet.

He was surprised, to say the least. The uniform was more fitted than what he wore at the academy and it outlined the leanness of his body. After looking at himself more closely, Aerrow saw that there were more red details on the uniform than he originally saw, contrasting against the dark green. There was crimson around his collar, his forearms, and also a strip snaking around his thigh. Aerrow sheathed his energy blades on his back and smiled when he heard a quiet _snick_. His weapon fit perfectly. 

_This really was made for me, huh,_ he thought. He was a little curious at how the tailor had managed to get all of the correct measurements and customizations. 

Aerrow’s stomach growled and a quick glance at the clock told him that dinner had started three minutes ago. He quickly removed some of the larger pieces of armour around his midsection and legs and took his energy blades out of their sheath.

 _I hope I won’t need these again today,_ Aerrow thought, thinking back to how Cyclonis had challenged him to a fight out of nowhere. _Maybe everyone will be too hungry to want to fight._

Aerrow wasn’t sure why he felt apprehensive as he stepped out of the automatic doors of his room and into an empty corridor. He heard various voices overlapping in the hallways nearby, and started following them to the dining hall. 

♠♠♠

The dining hall that served the Cyclonian Talons as well as students from the Talon academy was situated at the east end of what Aerrow learned was the main training base on Cyclonia. He had walked by a large map posted outside of one of the several corridors and stood in front of it for a few moments, in awe of how intricately the base was designed. It seemed even more complicated than the Atmosia campus, which took Aerrow at least a month to get fully comfortable with at first.

When he made his way to the dining hall’s entrance, there were already several groups of people there lining up to serve themselves at the buffet-style counters. Like the rest of the interiors on Cyclonia, the dining hall was dimly lit with warm lights. Indistinct chatter filled the air and Aerrow felt his shoulders relax. It was nothing different compared to the canteen at his academy.

Aerrow stood at the end of one of the lines and took a plate and a pair of utensils off of its rack, looking at what kind of food was being served. The scents of all of the foods made his mouth water. He didn’t recognize some of the recipes, but everything looked appetizing. It was only at that point when Aerrow registered that the voices he’d heard before had quieted down to a hush.

Immediately after Aerrow looked up, he wished he hadn’t. Every Talon and student in the hall seemed to be staring at Aerrow either in curiosity, hostility or envy. He took note of the eyes on him and tried to ignore the whispers of _Who is that Where’d he get that uniform Is he new here He can’t be a student_ that floated across the room. 

Aerrow swallowed and turned his attention to the steaming pieces of chicken breast, asparagus and bread rolls laid out on the long table. He felt heat creep up his neck and willed everyone to lose their apparent interest in him and redirect it to their dinner.

_So much for hoping to fit in. Is this what Rene meant before?_

After a few moments conservation started to flow again and the dining hall was once again filled with lively chatter. Aerrow exhaled and quickly piled food onto his plate before heading to an empty table near the back of the hall and starting to finally eat. 

He knew it was natural for people to be interested in a newcomer, especially when they live on a Terra that gets so few visitors. The attention made him uncomfortable but Aerrow couldn’t blame the Cyclonians. Aerrow briefly wondered if Dark Ace was among them, giving him the same unreadable expression as always.

A body plopping down next to Aerrow almost made him choke on his bite of bread. 

The girl with the long purple hair he’d seen earlier in the hallways smiled while the tall boy who accompanied her sat down across from Aerrow, fixing him with an interested green gaze.

“So my suspicions were right. You’re definitely new,” the girl said matter-of-factly while chewing on a carrot. Her words were lightly accented but Aerrow couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Jetta, don’t be rude.” The corners of the boy’s eyes crinkled. “I’m Victor and, well, that’s Jetta.” Victor spoke quietly while picking at his dinner and Aerrow had to lean in closer to hear what he was saying above the commotion. “We don’t mean to pry, but isn’t it uncommon for students to join the academy this late into the year?”

“Judging by _that_ entrance, you’re either a celebrity or you’ve somehow skipped all of the classes we’ve had so far and decided to reveal yourself now in that fancy outfit,” Jetta snorted, tilting her head at Aerrow.

Aerrow’s eyes went wide and he shook his head rapidly. “No, no, neither of those. I… I’m a student from Atmosia Academy. My headmaster sent me here to complete my placement before I graduate, which is basically three months of ‘real’ Sky Knight experience.” He smiled sheepishly. “My name’s Aerrow.”

Victor raised his glass halfway to his lips and froze at Aerrow’s words. “No way, Atmosia?! That’s an amazing school. I heard the facilities there are the best in Atmos.”

Jetta stared at Aerrow with her head propped onto one hand. “You essentially _are_ a celebrity, Aerrow from Atmosia. I’d give anything to leave Cyclonia for once and see what else is out there.” Her nonchalant manner suddenly changed and Jetta’s silver eyes wandered around the dining hall, focusing on the dull iron chandeliers. 

“So… does that explain why you were with Dark Ace?” Jetta took a strand of violet hair between her fingers and inspected the ends, pointedly not looking at Aerrow or Victor.

Victor rolled his eyes and took a sip of a red liquid that smelled like berries. “You’re still not over your crush, are you?” Aerrow raised his eyebrows in question.

Jetta opened her mouth and closed it, looking around if other people had overheard. She grit her teeth while a faint blush dusted her cheeks.

“It’s not a _crush_ , I’m not in primary school,” Jetta snapped. “I just really admire him. He has so much skill and such a great fighting technique… And I like his voice a lot…” The long-haired girl groaned and rested her head on her arms.

“Yeah, you and half of the Terra, it seems,” Victor snickered. 

He turned to Aerrow in curiosity. “I’m assuming you’re working with Dark Ace for your placement?” 

Aerrow sighed inwardly and stabbed his last piece of chicken with his fork, not exactly grateful for the reminder. “Yep, you got it. Although I don’t think either of us are too thrilled about it.”

Jetta raised her head to look at him incredulously. “I know more people than I can count on my hands who would kill to be in your position. Dark Ace is a legend all over Atmos.”

Aerrow shrugged and finished the last of his dinner while Victor started to explain how things worked at the Talon academy. After a while, Aerrow learned that Jetta and Victor were the same age as him and were also set to graduate in a few months. Jetta specialized in sharpshooting and Victor was an engineer who designed mechanical weapons. They described training as long and exhausting each day, but they eventually grew to get used to it. Unlike what Aerrow had been taught at Atmosia, students at the Talon academy focused heavily on individual growth rather than teamwork and supporting each other, which created a highly competitive environment.

In return, Aerrow talked about his experiences at his academy, his friends and how Atmosia had shaped the last seven years of his life. By the time he’d finished talking the three of them were laughing together like they’d known each other for years. Aerrow watched as people gradually filed out of the dining hall until he, Jetta and Victor were the only ones left aside from a few stragglers.

Aerrow bid his new friends goodnight and headed back to the direction of his room while the low humming of a crystal converter sounded throughout the dim corridor. Today had been the first of many eventful and unpredictable days in Cyclonia to come. The more he thought about it, the more he preferred waking up to a new challenge every day rather than reliving the same routine of attending classes and studying. Granted, Aerrow’s courses at Atmosia Academy were nothing close to boring, but the thought of not having to be stuck in a lecture hall or on the training grounds for hours on end was relieving. As much as he missed his friends and the general feeling of safety in Atmosia, Aerrow couldn’t deny that the coming days of new missions and responsibilities made him restless with anticipation.

It was only when Aerrow returned to his room that he realized how long he’d been talking to Jetta and Victor. He’d spent over two hours at the dining hall, and just looking at the hands on his clock reminded Aerrow of how tired he was. He contemplated radioing Piper, Finn, Junko, Stork and Radarr before he went to sleep, but then remembered that they were in separate Terras all over Atmos with time differences. Tomorrow, then.

After unpacking a few of his belongings and washing up, Aerrow changed out of his uniform before shutting off the lights. He settled underneath the covers of the bed and watched as a streak of red light from a nearby tower slipped past the gap in the curtains and illuminated the ceiling above. Aerrow stared at it until it became fuzzy around the edges and let sleep tug him into peaceful nothingness.

♠♠♠

Despite how tired Aerrow felt the day before, his body apparently wasn’t ready to fully rest as he awoke three times throughout the night, tossing and turning before managing to fall back asleep. The third time Aerrow’s eyes opened, he decided to just give up and start his day an hour before sunrise. It was probably due to his subconscious nerves of being in Cyclonia, but he’d already been past that. However, today would be the official first day of his placement and new learning experiences which didn’t include getting buried alive under dozens of old books. 

_Speaking of which, what am I actually meant to be doing today,_ Aerrow wondered while adjusting the collar of his uniform. Dark Ace hadn’t exactly given him a thorough breakdown of what the next few days would look like, so Aerrow could only hope Rene had some sort of collection of tasks for him.

Once Aerrow brushed his teeth and checked his hair in the mirror, he left his room with his energy blades and stood in the hallway for a few seconds, unsure of where to go. Rene didn’t tell him if any areas around the main Talon base were off-limits to him, but it was still weird to Aerrow that he was free to wander around such a complex, unfamiliar place. 

A sign reading _NORTH EXIT_ glowed a few steps away from him. Aerrow made his way to the side-door and was filled with awe when he pushed it open. 

He was standing on a long balcony that winded around North Maven Hall and had a spiral staircase leading to upper and lower levels of the Talon base. In the distance, the sun was peeking out from the horizon and its faint rays softened the gray sky which was tinged with purple from crystal mine exhaust. Aerrow could see the outline of sharp mountain ranges and walked to the edge of the railing, taking in more of the Cyclonian landscape. A breeze drifted by, sending a slight chill down Aerrow’s neck. 

It was entirely different from the few pictures he’d seen in textbooks which depicted the Terra as constantly looking gloomy and miserable. Aerrow smiled at the sight of a flock of birds flying towards the rising sun and leaned against the railing. Suddenly, he heard the grumbling of a group of Talon academy students before the side-door opened. 

“ _Who cares_ about resistors and capacitors, did you guys see that new guy yesterday?”

“Yeah, who designed that uniform? Why can’t _we_ look like that?”

“The redhead? He’s probably–”

Alarm bells started ringing in Aerrow’s head and he didn’t stick around to hear any more. He darted around the corner in the opposite direction of the voices, glancing behind him before walking right into a firm chest with an _oof_. Aerrow winced as his lip bumped against solid armour and froze when he heard a familiar growl from above.

“Didn't you ever learn to watch—”

Aerrow’s hasty apology died in his throat as he saw Dark Ace’s eyes skim down his body, taking note of his change of appearance. He cleared his throat and drew his mouth into a flat line before looking at Aerrow. 

“Come with me,” Dark Ace said evenly. “We have an important mission.” The Talon commander continued down the balcony without saying anything else.

Aerrow felt a spark of excitement as he followed a few steps behind Dark Ace as they stepped back into the main base and into yet another series of hallways. It was finally happening; Aerrow’s anxiety-filled days and near-death experiences have been leading up to this moment. He did find it slightly odd that most Talons and students were already up and starting their day while the sun only just began to rise. _Must be_ _Cyclonian willpower_ , Aerrow assumed. 

A few minutes passed and Aerrow found himself walking into a hangar with Switchblades and several types of airships aligned with impressive accuracy. A large banner with the Talon’s insignia was draped across the ceiling trusses. Out of the corner of his eye, Dark Ace stood at one of the large circular tables and inspected a map, his brow furrowed in thought.

Dark Ace’s gaze flickered up to Aerrow and back to the map as he walked closer. Aerrow didn’t think he would ever get used to looking right at the Talon commander; he felt like he was under a microscope every time their eyes met.

“The Colonel. Do you know him?” His voice was low and it snapped Aerrow back to the present. The name sounded familiar and he tried to put a face to it.

“Um… Four legs and very persuasive with an accent?” Aerrow frowned as he tried to remember the details and brightened as it all came back to him. “He visited my academy once to host an art exhibit, something felt off about it, though.” A voice in the back of Aerrow’s head wanted to ask what this had to do with anything, but he willed himself to be patient. 

He heard a scoff and watched as Dark Ace unfolded another scroll and smoothed it over the map. This one had intricate drawings of a green crystal, the colour so faint it almost looked white. Lines of handwritten notes which were once the colour of dark ink decorated the sides of the scroll, now faded to a dull gray.

“Months ago, Master Cyclonis travelled undercover to Terra Saharr to trade for the Sanatio crystal - a rare crystal with powerful healing abilities. There is only one of existence in Atmos,” Dark Ace explained, running a gloved finger down the scroll. He sighed before continuing.

“An unknown element contaminated streams and poisoned Cyclonians who took water close to the mountain ranges. It was becoming too deadly to conduct research for an antidote. Cyclonis needed the crystal to save her people, but that blasted Colonel threatened the merchant if he were to trade it to her. He wanted it for his collection.” The Talon commander curled his hand into a fist against the table. “Over one hundred died.” 

Aerrow stood still as he took in what the other man said. A somber feeling hung in the air as Aerrow recalled what had happened in the last few months. While Terra Atmosia was prospering with growth and new opportunities, Cyclonia was suffering. Although there was nothing that he could’ve done, Aerrow felt despondent that Cyclonia couldn’t reach out to other Terras for help.

Dark Ace spoke with a resentful edge to his voice, glaring down at the scroll. 

“We received news of a villager showing signs of poisoning again and unrest is spreading across the Terra, so—”

“We have to get that crystal back for Cyclonia,” Aerrow finished with determination in his voice, hitting his gloved fist against his palm. Of course, he wanted to prove to Dark Ace that he was capable of carrying out whatever tasks were assigned to him, but Aerrow also didn’t want the innocent citizens of the Terra to suffer any longer. 

The Talon commander raised his head from the scroll in slight surprise before his face shifted into a look of scorn. 

“We’ll see how well you do, Aerrow.” 

♠♠♠

Once Dark Ace had finished debriefing their mission, Aerrow stopped by the dining hall to scarf down some ham and scrambled eggs with a pancake that tasted oddly smoky. Back at the hangar, he was assigned a standard Talon Switchblade as his ride. The controls took some getting used to as the Switchblade was primarily built for combat, but Aerrow admired its firepower and stability which his own Skimmer couldn’t match. A few moments later they took off to the clouds with the Talon commander in the lead. The Cyclonian sky was a bleak gray despite the rays of sunlight that escaped the heavy cloud cover. 

Intel in Cyclonia had notified Dark Ace that the Colonel would be at the bazaar in Terra Saharr today, supposedly browsing the market for more valuables. The plan was simple - the pair of them would confront the Colonel alone to explain Cyclonia’s situation and why they needed Sanatio crystal. The whole interaction would be peaceful and Aerrow and Dark Ace would only use violence as a last resort. The Colonel was a shady character but he wasn’t bloodthirsty like other rogues in Atmos, so Aerrow hoped he would understand.

He watched as the exhaust from Dark Ace’s Switchblade created glowing red trails in the sky a few metres away from him. It was clear that the other man still didn’t fully trust Aerrow and his capabilities, but the fact that Dark Ace had taken him on this mission was probably a good sign. Or Master Cyclonis and Rene had just threatened him if he didn’t give Aerrow something to do. Either way, he’d be sure to prove himself today.

Over an hour later Dark Ace started to descend onto a dry, sandy Terra. Almost immediately the warmth from Saharr permeated through the material of Aerrow’s uniform and he relaxed at the absence of the slight chill from the sky. Aerrow could see rows of colourful booths and stalls at the bazaar, but it was less busy than he’d been expecting.

The pair of them retracted the wings on their Switchblades and inconspicuously drove to the edge of the bazaar before dismounting. Dark Ace scanned the area and ducked against a large boulder that obstructed their view of the vendors and buyers at the market. Aerrow did the same, his pulse quickening.

“He’s here,” Dark Ace said quietly. “Blue tent.” 

Aerrow craned his neck out from behind the boulder and spotted the Colonel standing near a table with various antique objects laid out. He felt slightly uneasy as he watched the four-legged creature walk to and from the table with a slimy grin on his face. Aerrow wasn’t sure what species the Colonel was and it seemed rude to ask. He was about to turn his attention back to Dark Ace until movement caught his eye.

“That’s a big crowd,” Aerrow observed. In a few seconds several buyers had gathered at the Colonel’s tent and conversation buzzed as they marvelled at his collection of antiques. The Talon commander turned to look and swore under his breath, a crease forming between his dark eyebrows.

“He’s holding an auction. There’s too many people, it’ll attract unwanted attention if we go like this,” Dark Ace said brusquely. His eyes glared into the sand and Aerrow thought Dark Ace could’ve shot lasers from them if he stared any harder. The intel had told them that the Colonel was an elusive character in Atmos and it had taken them weeks to track down his next location. If they didn’t get the crystal today, chances of taking it from the Colonel later were slim to none. 

_If we go like this._ But they didn’t have to, not necessarily… 

Aerrow suddenly shot up from his crouching position and peered beyond the boulder he was standing behind. 

“I got it! We don– _Mmrph!”_

A gloved hand clamped across Aerrow’s mouth while another grabbed the collar of his uniform, dragging him back down behind the boulder. His shoulder banged against the rock and he scowled at Dark Ace while the other man just rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Are you dense? Keep your voice down,” he hissed. 

Aerrow panted at the stifling heat and brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes. “I was _trying_ to say that we don’t have to go like this,” he gestured randomly between the two of them. 

Dark Ace barked out a short laugh and narrowed his eyes. “And how do you propose we do that?”

“The Colonel is always in need of servants, isn’t he? And we’re on Terra Saharr, where all kinds of crystals are available.” Aerrow raised an eyebrow and watched as Dark Ace put the pieces together, a thoughtful expression forming on his face.

“Interesting,” he mused, giving a single nod. Aerrow felt satisfaction flow through him at the small sign of approval. 

“You’ll be the servant.” Dark Ace decided, looking at Aerrow evenly.

 _No problem, I took an acting course._ This would be fun.

♠♠♠

The revised plan was simple - Dark Ace as himself would pretend like he was at Terra Saharr to trade like everyone else, when he would bump into Aerrow disguised as a poor villager boy, and they would approach the Colonel together. Aerrow had managed to trade for a small Cloaking crystal from an old lady at the opposite end of the bazaar with the few coins that he kept just in case. The crystal had transformed him to have short ashy brown hair with dull eyes the colour of seawater, while an off-white shirt a size too big for him and dark pants replaced his Talon uniform. He wore the small crystal around his neck, tied onto a piece of string.

After doing some recon beyond the bazaar, the Talon commander had discovered that the Colonel’s extravagant ship was docked nearby with his henchmen patrolling the perimeter. If he was guarding his precious belongings in that ship, the Sanatio crystal had to be there as well. 

Aerrow crouched beside Dark Ace behind the same boulder they were at before. The auction was due to start in under five minutes.

Dark Ace fixed him with a careful stare. “If something goes wrong it won’t be the last time you’ll be at the receiving end of my energy sword.” 

Aerrow could laugh. _As if Cyclonis would let him live after that._ Instead, he stood up and curled his hands into fists.

“Just trust me.” 

The two of them made their way over to the Colonel’s tent, with Dark Ace’s hand curled almost painfully around Aerrow’s elbow. A few people stared as the Colonel staggered over to them with a curious gaze.

“Do my eyes deceive me?” He drawled, his words slipping past his sharp teeth. “If it is not the infamous Dark Ace. What brings you to Saharr?”

“I’m an ordinary man like any other. We all need our crystals, don’t we?” The usual roughness of Dark Ace’s voice was gone and a smooth, almost jovial quality replaced it. It wasn’t unpleasant. Jetta suddenly popped into his mind and Aerrow stared at the ground, trying to regain his focus.

“And who is this?” The Colonel stepped closer and Aerrow could smell the overwhelming scent of his cologne while resisting the urge to gag. He tried to appear meek and said nothing. 

“Him? Just a stray I found near the edge of the bazaar. I figured you might want to take him in as a servant. It’ll be better to keep kids off of the streets,” Dark Ace said carefully. 

Aerrow held his breath and hoped the Colonel wouldn’t sense anything suspicious, or else their entire plan was gone.

He considered Dark Ace’s words for a moment and shrugged, turning back to his antiques. 

“Sure, why not. As long as he can sweep and mop, I do not care. I have an auction to run.” The Colonel snapped his clawed fingers and one of his henchmen appeared at his side, beckoning Dark Ace to follow him. 

Aerrow looked up at Dark Ace as they followed the man, but the commander stared straight ahead. It had only gotten hotter as the sun reached its peak in the sky and Aerrow tried to clear his dry throat. 

The henchman stopped at the entrance of a large ship, the same ship that Dark Ace had found on recon which belonged to the Colonel. He looked at the two of them expectantly. Dark Ace shoved Aerrow forward with a little too much force, and he gracelessly fell to the ground. He winced as his palms scraped against gravel, no longer protected by his gloves.

The henchman snorted and tugged Aerrow up by the back of his shirt. He turned back to look at Dark Ace who was already staring at him. It was no surprise that his face was expressionless but something told Aerrow that the other man would actually care this time if he got hurt, an upgrade from when he was electrocuted without remorse yesterday.

Aerrow felt Dark Ace’s stare continue to burn through the thin fabric of his shirt as the henchman led him onto the ship. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you tell i relied heavily on the storm hawks wiki website to write this chapter
> 
> some things to point out:
> 
> \- Aerrow's new uniform basically looks like what he wears in the show but the design itself is more sleek/less patchy with the Cyclonian colours + insignia (armour details are the same)  
> \- sanatio = healing in latin (according to wordhippo)  
> \- Aerrow could've just changed out of his uniform into other clothes but i felt that the cloaking crystal made things more interesting (also protects his true identity)  
> \- this entire mission was supposed to be covered in this chapter but it just got too long ;-;
> 
> -
> 
> i'm sorry for the delay, the past few weeks have been pretty busy but i'm on reading week right now! which means midterms are soon rip  
> what did you think? it was more challenging to write this one but i hope u enjoyed :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Aerrow's first mission.

_“You can’t be serious,” Dark Ace deadpanned. The sun was at its highest point in the sky and its strong rays reflected off of the man’s raven hair. Under all of the layers of armour, the heat was starting to get to the commander as well; Aerrow could see his chest heaving and beads of sweat forming above his brow._

_Aerrow grit his teeth and turned to look over at the bazaar. In the time that they’d spent arguing over the change of plans, even more people had gathered around the Colonel’s tent and time was running out. His patience was wearing thin and Aerrow wished Dark Ace would just relax for once._

_“I’m telling you, it’ll work,” Aerrow insisted. “If you leave Saharr with the Switchblades and head back to Cyclonia right after, no one will suspect anything. Just leave the rest to me.”_

_“Need I remind you that I’m your mentor? I don’t think you’re in such a position to be giving orders.”_

_The other man was seething, his red gaze even more intense than usual. Part of Aerrow wanted to shy away and admit defeat, but he had a burning feeling that he’d be successful in retrieving the crystal without any major casualties. Aerrow took a deep breath and hoped his next words wouldn’t be his last._

_“Imagine the outrage if we were to both get captured by the Colonel,” he said vaguely. “Cyclonia’s undefeated Dark Ace locked up in a cell next to some_ kid _." Aerrow widened his eyes. He was treading on dangerous territory but he pressed on._

_"What would Cyclonis think?”_

_Dark Ace looked ready to throttle him, and for a moment Aerrow thought he would. They were on a foreign Terra after all, with no one obligated to keep the Talon commander from taking his frustrations out on Aerrow. The leather of his gloves stretched across his knuckles as his hands curled into tight fists._

_He suddenly stood up from behind the boulder with his back to Aerrow. The younger man looked up to the line of Dark Ace’s broad shoulders, squinting at the sun in his eyes._

_“When_ you _get captured by the Colonel, don’t count on me to be at your rescue.”_

_Lucky for both of them, it wouldn’t have to come to that._

♠♠♠

If Aerrow learned anything about the Colonel from this mission, it was that he never settled for the finer things in life. The interior of his ship was plated with glittering gold accents while expensive-looking paintings hung from the walls. Gold statues of people Aerrow didn’t recognize lined the entrance, polished to the point where he could see his own reflection. The low rumbling of the ship’s air conditioner echoed slightly off of the walls and Aerrow was grateful to not be overheating outside anymore. 

A mop and bucket were shoved into his hands, snapping his attention away from the ship.

The henchman stared down at Aerrow with a bored look on his face. 

“Get to work, kid,” he said gruffly while walking back to the ship’s entrance. “Don’t touch anything or you’ll regret it.”

With that, the ship’s door slammed shut and as far as Aerrow could see, he was alone. It seemed unwise to leave a stranger alone with a bunch of valuables, and he looked around warily at the multiple rooms connecting to the ship’s entrance. Dark Ace had mentioned an exit door at the back of the ship and Aerrow made a mental note of its location. The Sanatio crystal was somewhere onboard and he wasn’t leaving without it. 

Dunking the mop in the bucket of water, Aerrow began to clean, gradually making his way towards the different areas on the ship. After a while, the disinfectant mixed in with the water burned his nose and Aerrow was doing less mopping and more snooping. He’d cleaned five separate rooms already, and still no sign of any crystals.

Propping a hand on the mop’s handle, Aerrow leaned against a podium at the entrance of one of the rooms and ran a hand through his hair. The shorter length surprised him before he remembered the Cloaking crystal’s weight beneath his shirt. 

_I haven’t done this much cleaning since the food fight in first year,_ he thought with a smile _._ Aerrow shook his head. The crystal was here, he was sure of it. He just had to be patient.

Just then, the sun shone through a small window and hit a burgundy coffee table across from where Aerrow was standing. A small glimmer of light from the fruit bowl caught his eye and he rested the mop against the podium before making his way closer.

There, nestled inconspicuously between a plum and an orange, was the Sanatio crystal. The size, cut and colour were unmistakable from the details of the scroll that Dark Ace had recalled prior. Although the sketch was large, the actual crystal was small enough for him to close his fingers around in the palm of his hand. The more Aerrow thought about it, the more clever the hiding spot. If it weren’t for that ray of sunlight, he probably wouldn’t have bothered to look around the fruit bowl at all. To his amusement, the crystal could easily pass as a green grape.

_Smaller pills tend to be stronger… Is this crystal similar?_

Aerrow reached out his hand, hesitant to take it. Even though it was thrown carelessly into a bowl with fruits, the Colonel had to have known of the Sanatio crystal’s power. Why else would he have wanted to take it so badly from Cyclonis? 

As he thought back to what Dark Ace had said about several Cyclonians being poisoned before meeting their demise, an ugly feeling stirred in Aerrow’s chest. While men, women and children were dying, their one hope was sitting in a lavish ship, collecting dust. He couldn’t imagine how Cyclonis felt, believing that she’d let her people down. This time, Aerrow would be sure to change that. 

“Feeling hungry, hm?” An accented voice spoke next to his ear, sending a wave of panic crashing through him.

Aerrow spun around to face the Colonel before dropping his gaze to the floor. Despite being so focused on the crystal, he swore that he hadn’t heard anybody board the ship. Without Aerrow’s energy blades or Dark Ace, there was no telling how this would end. He silently prayed that the Colonel wouldn’t detect the Cloaking crystal around his neck, tucked beneath his large shirt. 

_Remember, you’re not Aerrow. You’re a villager, now the Colonel’s servant,_ he told himself, clutching the hem of his shirt to keep his hands from shaking.

Raising his head to look into the Colonel’s beady eyes, Aerrow steeled himself before speaking.

“I’m sorry, sir, I promise I didn’t take anything, I-I’ll continue cleaning right away–”

“Eh, help yourself,” the creature said, reaching behind Aerrow to grab a pear, biting into it messily. “Someone should eat them before they rot.” Fruit juice ran down the Colonel’s arm and Aerrow looked away in mild disgust, turning back to the crystal. It had moved from its original position but the Colonel didn’t even acknowledge it was there. 

Before he could get suspicious, Aerrow picked up the mop and bucket from the podium. He started to clean again while keeping a good distance between himself and the four-legged creature, who was humming and inspecting the paintings on the walls. 

Even though Aerrow always found small talk awkward, it seemed necessary in this case to come off as friendly and hide his ulterior motives.

“How is the auction going, sir?” Aerrow kept his eyes trained on the same spot he’d been mopping for a minute now, occasionally glancing between the Colonel and the fruit bowl.

“Same old, same old,” he replied vaguely with his back to Aerrow. “So much talking makes my voice raw. Good thing that Saharr has generous bidders.” The Colonel turned around with a greedy smile on his face, revealing too many sharp teeth. 

At his words, a lightbulb went off in Aerrow’s head. He tried to keep his face impassive before setting the mop aside.

“Would you like for me to make you a cup of tea?” 

A smile spread across the Colonel’s face while he sighed, stepping over to look out the window at the golden landscape of Terra Saharr. “I do not remember the last time I have had such a good lad working for me. Of course.” 

He nodded and stepped into the kitchen. When the Colonel was out of sight, Aerrow’s heartbeat quickened and he fumbled to fill the kettle on the stove with water. 

As the water was brought to a boil, Aerrow reached into the pocket of his pants and curled his fingers around a thin packet made of parchment paper. 

While Dark Ace was scouring out the area around the Colonel’s ship, Aerrow was trading for a Cloaking crystal at a tiny stall near the end of the bazaar, partially hidden from most customers. But he didn’t _only_ trade for a crystal.

The same merchant he’d received his Cloak from – an old woman in colourful robes with a blast of white hair – was also selling a sleeping draught in powder form. After Aerrow’s two fitful nights of sleep in a row, he didn’t want to make it a habit of waking up and feeling half-dead especially when working with Dark Ace. The merchant had seen him eyeing it and offered him a packet for free, claiming that Aerrow had already overpaid for the Cloaking crystal. 

_“Be careful, boy, that stuff’s quite potent. A few grains per night’ll do you good.”_

_Then a little more than that should have him out like a light,_ Aerrow concluded. The kettle started whistling and Aerrow filled a teacup with steaming water before tipping a quarter of the pouch into it. He watched as the water swirled into a translucent amber colour and carefully tucked the sleeping draught back into his pocket. 

“My throat is getting very dry, what is the problem? My tea collection is not very big.”

The Colonel started to sound irritated and Aerrow's hands almost knocked the cup over. 

“I’ll be right there!” His voice was an octave higher than normal and Aerrow willed himself to relax. In the next five minutes, he could have the Sanatio crystal in his pocket and be on his way back to Cyclonia. On the flip side, the Colonel could also have Aerrow locked up in a cell with a snap of his fingers. Way to explain _that_ to Ennith, if Aerrow ever got the chance to. 

Guilt prickled at Aerrow’s skin as he carefully brought out the teacup on a matching saucer he’d found in one of the several cupboards. Not only was he about to drug this strange art-dealing-antique-collecting gangster, he was also about to steal from him as well. Both of these things collided with the Sky Knight values that Aerrow had been taught for years, but desperate times called for desperate measures. It was unfair to the people of Cyclonia that their cure was lying unused in a fruit bowl.

 _It’s only a sleeping draught. He might appreciate the extra rest,_ Aerrow told himself as he plastered on a courteous smile, setting down the teacup on the coffee table in front of where the Colonel sat. Aerrow clasped his hands together, waiting for the Colonel to take a sip of the drink. 

He sniffed curiously at the cup, flicking his yellow eyes to Aerrow. “This tea has no scent.”

Aerrow’s throat ran dry and he coughed slightly. “Ah, the leaves do lose their scent sometimes– I grew tea leaves when I was younger– the taste doesn’t change at all!” He was surprised at how easily the lie slipped past his lips. Aerrow clenched his teeth in anticipation as the Colonel nodded thoughtfully, beginning to take a sip.

The Colonel swallowed and set the cup down with some difficulty, his hand missing the saucer twice before letting go. The draught’s effect was instantaneous; Aerrow could see that the creature’s eyes slipped in and out of focus and his breathing had already deepened. 

_Almost there…_

“... I s’pose the auction took a lot of energy,” he mumbled, blinking blearily his servant. “Get back t’work, kid, I want th’floors spotless…” The Colonel’s words were beginning to slur and Aerrow knew it was time to leave before his henchmen returned and things got messy.

“Yes, Colonel,” Aerrow replied with his eyebrows lowered, watching carefully as the creature finally fell into a deep sleep on the plush couch. 

With a swipe of his hand in the fruit bowl, Aerrow slipped out of the ship’s backdoor and set foot onto the deserts of Saharr.

Pressing himself against the ship’s exterior, Aerrow yanked the Cloaking crystal off from around his neck. He crushed it beneath his heel and the ground, allowing the fine dust to be swept into the golden sand. Immediately, pink static hissed around Aerrow’s pants and shirt before he saw his Talon uniform materialize along with the weight of his energy blades. A few red strands of hair fell into Aerrow’s eyes and he sighed in relief before surveying the surroundings.

Apart from more boulders and sand, the Colonel’s ship was the only thing that Aerrow could see. The bazaar was at least five hundred meters away, but he wasn’t going to take his chances by sticking around and waiting to be caught by the henchmen.

Aerrow walked backwards while turning a corner along the ship, cautious of whether anybody was approaching, until something hard dug into his back. 

“Guess it’s my lucky day,” Aerrow murmured to himself while he eyed the unmarked Skimmer that he’d bumped into, probably owned by one of the Colonel’s men. It seemed to be in good condition with its fuel tank full, and Aerrow didn’t have time to be skeptical if he should really _borrow_ something else off of Terra Saharr.

 _I’ll be sure to return it someday._

After mounting the Skimmer and flicking on the controls, Aerrow patted the small pocket at his thigh and grinned when he felt the outline of the Sanatio crystal. He drove through sandy terrain before activating the Skimmer’s wings and flying back in the direction of Cyclonia.

_You didn’t have to save me after all, Dark Ace._

  
  


♠♠♠

  
  


Aerrow was glad he’d paid attention to the important landmarks when Dark Ace led the way to Saharr in the morning. The flight back was shorter than their arrival; Aerrow pressed a little harder on the gas than he should’ve and almost ran out of fuel before making it back to Cyclonia in his haste to return the crystal.

Maybe it was also due to the red-haired man’s eagerness to prove to Dark Ace that he’d been successful in carrying out the mission, but Aerrow didn’t dwell on that too much.

After narrowly avoiding getting caught in a lightning storm at the Cyclonian border, Aerrow landed at the Talon base and quickly realized he had no idea where to go. The surroundings were different from when Rene had made his introduction. Driving slowly, Aerrow stopped a few metres away from a doorway with the sign _SOUTH ENTRANCE_ as he watched students and Talons filter in and out of the base, some carrying weapons or textbooks.

He dismounted the Skimmer and left it behind what looked like a large storage bin, hoping nobody would find it and get suspicious. Aerrow started to make his way into the base, blending in seamlessly with the flow of deep red and green uniforms. To Aerrow’s relief, only a few curious glances were sent his way as most people were already engrossed in conversation as they walked past him. 

The main hallway Aerrow had entered soon branched off to separate corridors along with staircases leading to upper and lower levels of the base. The walls and floors were constructed out of metal in the shade of Cyclonian red. He moved to one side of the hall and sighed, eyeing which path to take as students brushed past him.

 _Where do you even go to look for the Dark Ace when you need him?_ There seemed to be a bit of miscommunication on his mentor’s end. 

A light tap on his shoulder led Aerrow to turn around. Bright silver eyes blinked back at him.

“Aerrow from Atmosia? What are you doing here?” Jetta asked, tilting her head. She had her crossbow slung over one shoulder while her arms held a textbook on _Cyclonian History II_. 

“I think I’m a little lost,” Aerrow replied abashedly, looking around. Most people had dispersed and he and Jetta were left standing in the hallway. “I need to find Dark Ace to return something from a mission.”

Jetta raised her eyebrows in curiosity before laughing slightly.

“Well, you won’t find him in the Arts wing of the Talon Academy, that’s for sure.” Her face soured. “Speaking of, this’ll be the third time this week I’m late to history. Damn it.” 

Aerrow crossed his arms and shrugged. “Not if you don’t show up.” 

“Cutting class? I like it.” A sly grin spread across Jetta’s face and Aerrow chuckled before his eyes landed on a slight dent in the wall. He began to think of where the commander might be located in this labyrinth of a base and didn’t notice Jetta’s posture straightening while her eyes widened at something behind him.

“So Jetta, where do you think I should look for him?” Aerrow asked, his eyes wandering over the ceiling details. Whoever designed this base probably didn’t account for what would happen if one of the dozens of exposed pipes burst. 

“Um, maybe… You should just stay right where you are,” She replied strangely. Aerrow glanced at the violet-haired girl and watched in confusion as her face flushed, blinking past his shoulder.

“Huh? What do–”

“Good to know you made it out of Saharr, Aerrow.” 

Aerrow spun around at the low baritone of Dark Ace’s voice. The commander was walking towards them, looking skeptical. Aerrow felt his stomach flip as he watched the older man take each assertive step before stopping an arm’s length away from him. Out of the corner of his eye, Aerrow saw Jetta move behind him so that she was hidden from Dark Ace.

“The plan was a success,” Aerrow reported with a hint of smugness, reaching into his pocket to fish out the small gem. Upon closer inspection, the crystal seemed to be radiating a soft green glow in the palm of his gloved hand.

The Talon commander leaned closer and narrowed his eyes at the crystal. Without noticing, Aerrow held his breath at their proximity. A moment later, the crease between Dark Ace’s brows disappeared and he nodded once.

“Not bad,” Dark Ace said. Aerrow thought he saw the corner of the man’s mouth twitch upwards and he returned the older man’s almost-smile with a real one. Aerrow pocketed the crystal while the tension seeped out of his body. 

“Did you kill anyone?” 

The question caught Aerrow completely off-guard and he almost choked on an answer. It was impossible to tell whether Dark Ace was being serious with his signature unreadable expression.

“Wh– no, of course not– I didn’t use any weapons!” 

Dark Ace just hummed and folded his arms across his chest. Careful footsteps sounded behind them and the commander’s red gaze shifted to Jetta who was trying to slip away from the conversation without being noticed.

Aerrow mentally kicked himself. _Say something, her hero is right here!_

“Dark Ace, this is Jetta,” he said quickly, making the girl stop in her tracks and turn back to stare at Aerrow in surprise. “She’s a sharpshooter and one of the first friends I’ve made here.” 

Jetta walked up to them and bowed her head, avoiding eye contact with the commander.

“I recognize you,” Dark Ace said impassively. “Class 5A. You have a good eye.” 

With that, Jetta’s head snapped and she blinked rapidly. Her blush returned and Jetta tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

“Thank you, Commander,” she said timidly, before clearing her throat. 

“I should leave you two to your duties. See you, Aerrow.” Jetta bowed to Dark Ace again, setting down the hall to where Aerrow assumed was her history class.

“The mission isn’t over yet,” Dark Ace remarked, drawing Aerrow’s attention back to the dark-haired man. He started to walk back in the direction where he came and Aerrow quickly followed.

“More business with the Colonel?” Aerrow asked nervously. The thought of having to return to Saharr– to the Colonel’s ship– in the state that he’d left it in was slightly panic-inducing. 

“Him? Never again, if I have any say in the matter,” Dark Ace scoffed, looking straight ahead at the corridor they’d just entered. The bright lights that had illuminated the Arts wing suddenly shifted to a dim red, and Aerrow recognized this as the same corridor Rene had led him down. 

Dark Ace stopped in front of the ornate iron doors of Cyclonis’ office, turning to Aerrow. 

“The Cyclonians living up north would like to thank the person who retrieved their cure,” he stated matter-of-factly. 

Aerrow tugged at the collar of his uniform uneasily, staring at the door handles. “Are you sure? It was your mission, and I wouldn’t want to intrude–”

A strong hand on his shoulder made him cut off abruptly. When Aerrow looked up, Dark Ace’s eyes seemed to glow crimson in the dim light.

“As per Master Cyclonis’ request, you are to accompany us to the mountains to initiate the Sanatio crystal’s healing powers.” Dark Ace’s eyebrows lowered.

“Am I clear?” 

“Um, y-yes, Dark Ace,” Aerrow replied, blinking twice. _How eloquent._

The commander let go of his shoulder and knocked his fist against the door to Cyclonis’ office. Aerrow could still feel the warmth of where his hand had been seconds before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lucky aerrow!! one day his luck will run out. :) 
> 
> \- 
> 
> grammarly said the main tone of this chapter is 'anxious'.. i did not mean to write it like that haha
> 
> not much to say about this chapter tbh other than i didn't even realize jetta was the name of a car until i walked past a volkswagen jetta the other day lol im sorry @jetta
> 
> thank you for reading, hope you're doing well! :)

**Author's Note:**

> talk to me on tumblr! @cycloniasoracle


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